Four types of personalities will be encountered during pitches: the director, socialiser, estate agent and thinker
First, some who missed last month's article (Ratcliffe, 2021) will be wondering why building a prototype is being discussed in the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing—the products that medical aesthetic practitioners use have already been developed. However, think of a product as a collection of materials and services put together into a package in a way that specific customers will want to purchase. There are many ways to package the services that one may wish to offer into a product that will appeal to particular patient personas who may feel alienated or unsure of what is currently on the market.
The practitioner needs to think about their patients. How are they finding the business? How are they comparing you to your competitors? Is this particular service at the right time for them? Is it easy to use?
However, there is no point in innovating for the sake of innovating. A great example of this is the alarm sound that a dishwasher makes when it has finished its cycle. From a technical perspective in a lab, this sounds like a great idea and a new feature that might differentiate one brand of dishwasher appliance from its competitors. However, how many consumers want to rush over to inspect the dishwasher and unload it as soon as the cycle has finished? For the vast majority of users, it may simply be an annoyance.
It may be tempting to chase the most current treatments and therapies, but, sometimes, the practitioner must be brave and make the best judgement for the patient. They have a problem that they want you to solve, and that should always come first.
Develop your prototype
Developing an engaging product that meets the need of these prospects is what is being discussed, and it does not have to be limited to just clinical aesthetics. Combining products from other related areas can produce fantastic results: after all, Steve Jobs did not invent mobile phones, email, personal digital assistants or browsers—he took those items and combined them to produce the iPhone. Likewise, Dominos and Pizza Hut did not invent pizza, they simply found a way of providing the product more appealingly for specific client types. Do not be afraid to gather intel from similar products to see what works and what does not. For example, could aesthetics be combined into a complete makeover package with an image consultant? Could an out-of-hours service for busy professionals or alongside a childcare setting be offered?
Start collecting feedback and anticipate objections. Begin by trying the product out on family and friends, then branch out to a more unbiased focus group who will not be as concerned about causing offence if they have negative feedback. Ask them what they liked about the product, whether they would use it and what they would like to change. Then, encourage them to elaborate further: when would they use it? Would this be their first choice? What are its most significant flaws? Anticipate any objections and spin them into potential benefits. For example, Sara Blakely's products—mentioned in last issue's article—were made from fabrics that some could view as hot or bulky. Following this potential objection, she stated that the thick fabric masked cellulite and gave wearers a better silhouette (Blakely, 2020).
Look at the competition to try and set a reasonable retail price. As a guideline, if a physical product is being manufactured, a good formula is multiplying the manufacturing costs by five. However, on many occasions, budding entrepreneurs forget to work out the fees for their own time to produce, manage and market the product, so make sure that this is factored in alongside any costs, such as rent.
» The business owner is the ultimate judge of quality for the brand—never assume that someone else will do that, including suppliers and staff. Keep listening to patients and customers and feed any potential improvements into the next iteration of the product «
The product is ready to sell to a broader audience when the focus group stops commenting on the flaws. It should solve the problem that it is designed to tackle and give the desired results. The product should also differentiate itself from similar products on the market and be the best option for the target market.
Product development never stops. Accept that the product will need to be continuously improved as more is learned about the customer and discover new ways to make it easier for them to access and use.
Make it
Until there is a product to sell, you do not have a business. Now is the time to change that. In the case of medical aesthetic clinics, it is unlikely that a physical product is going to be made. However, if it is something that is being considered, ask potential manufacturers about turnaround times and payment terms and ensure that the product parts can be made simultaneously. Find out shipping costs, minimum production runs, what happens if they cannot ship on time and what variables could cause the manufacturing costs to change. Make sure that you only order what you know you can sell. As previously mentioned, you may well need to iterate again following feedback. Even if a physical product is not being manufactured, the above guidelines should be considered outsourcing printing.
The business owner is the ultimate judge of quality for the brand—never assume that someone else will do that, including suppliers and staff. Keep listening to patients and customers and feed any potential improvements into the next iteration of the product. If the product is a service, quantify the quality that staff are expected to give by using checklists.
Sell it
Remember that selling is not about selling the product—the problem that the product solves is being sold. The first part of the sales pitch is to appeal to their emotions and aim to either identify or empathise with the problem. Next, the product can demonstrate how it alone can solve this urgent problem. Anticipate any objections and integrate their mitigation into the pitch. There are four general personality types that will be met, and each one needs an individual approach. Spend some time considering how the pitch will be tailored to them. They are:
- The director: wants you to get to the point, so be concise and do not spend too much time dwelling on the problem before presenting the solution
- The socialiser: will want to get to know you—tell them your story and your background
- The estate agent: wants you to connect with them and care about them personally. So, spend time talking about how you care deeply about your target audience and the problem that is being solved
- The thinker: wants to know every detail about the product. Explain the problem that is being solved analytically and explain the methods that are being used to solve it.
Make a point of not overselling the product by making claims that it cannot live up to—underpromise and overdeliver. Invariably, ‘no’ will be heard from your prospects regardless. However, there are some tactics that can be used to turn it around. Sara uses the following:
- Use an anecdote about a client who initially said no, but then changed their mind
- Give them time to consider what has been offered before going back to them
- Do not take yourself too seriously. If you can gently mock the situation that you are in, people will feel more relaxed around you and be more willing to try the product (Blakely, 2020).
Get yourself out there. Go to events where prospects may be attending, and if you are dependent on others selling the product, go and support them personally. If there are concerns around a fear of rejection, the the best way of managing that is to keep being exposed to those scenarios. For example, consider a public speaking class or giving a talk at a lunchtime teaching session—anything to help feel comfortable talking to a crowd.
Building awareness
Some may be able to pay for advertising via an influencer or a magazine advert. However, for most others, organic advertising can also be very effective. Spend time talking about the problem that is being solved to people who can help to promote the product in related industries.
Develop a brand story that explains why this idea came about and what has been overcome along the way. The more open you are about who you are, the more likely people will be able to relate to you and your product.
Conclusion
Building a business is about being the best at solving a problem that a prospect is willing to pay to have solved. Be humble and take time to listen to what the audience is telling you about the product and keep iterating until there are no objections. Spend time understanding the different personality types that will be encountered and tailor the pitch accordingly.